dom-, domo-, domat-, domato-

(Greek > Latin: house, home; master or lord of the house)

A reference to a building or a complex of buildings that contain a number of individually owned apartments or houses: Mark's cousin was dealing with a real estate agent who could provide condominial quarters for several of his new employees that he was hiring for his expanding business.

1. In architecture, an individually owned unit of real estate, especially an apartment or townhouse, in a building or on land that is owned in common by the owners of the units: Jim told his friend that he intends to buy a condominium before he retires because he is tired of renting an apartment.
2. A building or complex containing apartments or townhouses: The condominium on the corner has a great view of the ravine and river that is just across the street.
3. In politics, a country governed by two or more different countries with joint responsibilities: The countries on both sides of the river agreed to a condominium so that neither one would have sole ownership of the river and the commerce that used it.
4. Etymology: from Modern Latin, "joint sovereignty", apparently coined in German about 1700 from com-, "together" + dominum, "right of ownership".

The sense of "privately owned apartment" came into existence in American English, about 1962, as a special use of the legal term.

1. Exposure or vulnerability to harm, injury, or loss: The lives of Karen and Karl were in danger when the earthquake struck their area.
2. Someone or something that may cause harm, injury, or loss.
3. Etymology: "power of a lord or master, jurisdiction", from Anglo-French daunger, from Old French dangier, "power to harm, mastery"; alteration of dongier, from Vulgar Latin dominarium, "power of a lord", from Latin dominus, "lord, master"; so, danger is said to be a parallel formation of dominion.

1. To make someone feel anxious, intimidated, or discouraged; that is, to cause someone to lose courage.
2. Having made a person feel slightly frightened or worried about the ability to achieve something.
3. Etymology: from Old French danter, a form of donter, from Latin domitare, domare, "to tame, to subdue, to vanquish, to conquer"; literally, "to accustom to the house", from domus, "house".

1. Referring to something that is discouraging with the fear of failure: Bringing the war to an end is a daunting task.
2. Relating to being depressing, intimidating, demoralizing, or frightening to someone.

A reference to the way of doing something that discourages someone to take action: The politician said that it is dauntingly difficult to get people to pay any attention to our efforts to improve the economy.

1. Invulnerable to fear or intimidation or incapable of being discouraged by threats: The comic book hero was the most dauntless and brave character ever to be imagined.

The dauntless soldier received a great deal of praise from his comrades for saving them from death after they had run out of ammunition and he had returned with a new supply of bullets, despite the dangers he had to face as he went back to them.
2. Unlikely, or unable, to be frightened or to be discouraged; not afraid: Carol's small but dauntless cat braved going out into the hall where she encountered the large cat which lived down the hall.

1. A king or other ruler with absolute, unlimited power; an autocrat: Matt's uncle was a successful football coach; however, a lot of people considered him to be a despot, because he was always dictating what the players had to do during the games.
2. Any tyrant or oppressor: There are some despots, even in these modern times, who are ruling their people in cruel and inhumane ways.
3. Etymology: from Greek: despotes, "a master, a lord"; from Latin domus "house, home" + potis, "master, husband".

Originally, a title meaning "master", applied to certain classes of rulers, an honorary title applied to a Byzantine emperor, afterward to members of his family, and later to Byzantine vassal rulers and governors; then to bishops or patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox Church, etc. Now, it refers to anyone who is in charge and acts like a tyrant or a ruler who exercises his or her power in a harsh or oppressive way.

Autocratic; tyrannical; descriptive of a person who controls others with absolute power: A despotic person has the power to make decisions that others must accept and obey or they could lose their positions, or privileges, or benefits, or be thrown out of an organization.

A government controlled by an unrestricted authority; especially, in a cruel and oppressive way: There have been many countries throughout history when people have existed in despotism; for example, the Germans who had Adolf Hitler ruling them with absolute power.

Other names include the following modern dictators who have advocated despotism: